The 75-pound Lower Providence Warrior Youth Football Team was victorious in its championship game over the Mount Airy Bantams in the Keystone State League Championship finale.

The team, comprised of ages 11 and 12 year olds weighing up 107 lbs, battled the elements and the Bantams to win an overtime victory in dramatic fashion. It was a game for the ages and one everyone who witnessed it will remember.

It was a day for the defenses as both teams struggled in the first half of football to gain yards and 1st downs. The Warrior offense, led by quarterbacks Vernon Tubbs and Aaron Reddish, and running backs Tygee Leach. Jalin Meachem, and Colin Pettine had to fight for every yard against a tough Mount Airy defense. The Warriors and Bantams traded possessions for the majority of the first half. The Warriors were able to move the ball inside the Bantams 20 yard on several occasions with strong blocking from the offensive line unit of Cade Szoztek, Colm McCafferty, Christian Bockrath, Nick Uba, Quinn Shields Jack McQuaid, Kevin Harris, Sean Sykes, Eli Weisman, and Sean Larrivee. The Bantams withstood the pressure each time and the half ended at a 0 – 0 tie.

The 2nd half began with more of the same as the stout Warrior defense lead by linebackers McQuaid, Bockrath, Uba, and Leach, and the secondary of Pettine, Tubbs, Szoztek and Harris, shutdown every attempt the Bantams made to move the ball. The interior defensive lineman, lead by Christian Thomas and Sykes, applied continuous pressure up the middle as the defense disrupted plays and caused several turnovers in the third quarter.

The Warriors almost broke the tie late in the 4th quarter as they drove the ball deep inside Mount Airy territory, only to come up 1 yard short on a 4th down play inside the 10 yard line. Mount Airy seized upon this key defensive stop and took the momentum on offense. The Bantams broke a long run to move the ball deep inside Lower Providence territory. The Bantams continued to move the ball closer to the goal line as the clock counted down. A timeout stopped the clock with 5 seconds remaining with ball at the Warrior 2 yard line. The Bantams took a sweep left but Nick Uba came up with a clutch tackle that stopped the Bantams short of the endzone. The game clock expired ending the game in regulation locked at a 0-0 tie.

The game format then moved to a college style overtime shootout with each team having one possession from the 10 yard line. The Warriors won the coin toss and took offensive possession first. It did not take long for the Warriors to show their championship form as Tygee Leach took the ball behind outstanding blocking by the offensive line to score on the 1st play in overtime. The very large contingent of Warrior fans erupted on the sidelines as they sensed the momentum shift to the Warriors on the play. The extra point attempt was unsuccessful however and Mount Airy took possession of the ball down 6-0. The Bantams failed to gain any substantial yards on the first three plays from scrimmage as once again the Warrior defense rose to the occasion. The final play for the Mount Airy Bantams was a pass in the middle that fell incomplete as the Warriors celebrated another in a long line of Keystone State League Championships.

Game Notes:The Warriors were coached by Head Coach Bill Lucchesi and assistants Scott Hisey, Bob Szoztek, Mark Pettine, Jason Goodrich, Mike Fedak, and Ty Leach. This is the 5th Keystone State League Championship by long-time Warrior coach Bill Lucchesi.